Zags Close Non-Conference Slate in New York
12/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 12, 2015
GONZAGA BULLDOGS (7-4) AT COLGATE RAIDERS (1-6)
GAME 12 | DEC. 13 | 2 P.M. ET | COTTERELL COURT | HAMILTON, NY
SERIES: Gonzaga leads the series 2-0 (First-ever meeting in Hamilton)
FIRST MEETING: Jan. 2, 2001: 67-56 in Spokane
LAST MEETING: Nov. 30, 2013: 81-31 in Spokane
LIVE VIDEO: GoZags.com
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ZAGS TAKE ON COLGATE IN NEW YORK
- Gonzaga closes its non-conference schedule with it's first-ever trip to Hamilton, N.Y.
- In fact, this is the first time the Zags have ever played a game in the state of New York since joining the NCAA.
- The Bulldogs have played New York schools, Hofstra and Fordham, but both away from the Empire state.
- Gonzaga is in the middle of a five-game road stretch that covers 7,725 miles.
GONZAGA STORYLINES
- The Bulldogs are third in the country with 56 total blocks. Their 5.1 blocks per game average tops the West Coast Conference and are 53rd in the country.
- Shelby Cheslek needs three blocks to break Kayla Standish's program record of 176 in a career.
- The senior is 10th in the nation with 26 blocks already this season, and her 2.36 per game ranks 39th in the country.
- Cheslek is third in the WCC and 13th in the country with 95 total rebounds.
- Gonzaga is holding opponents to 54.1 points per game, which leads the West Coast Conference and is 24th in the nation.
- Under Fortier, GU is 30-4 when it leads at half and is 32-2 when shooting a higher field goal percentage than its opponent.
- The Zags are holding opponents to 25.6 percent from behind-the-arc, which is first in the WCC and 34th in the country.
- The Bulldogs' 148 made free-throws ranks ninth in the nation, while their 214 attempts are also 10th.
ABOUT THE RAIDERS
- Colgate's lone win of the season was at LIU-Brooklyn, 63-53, on Dec. 5. Three of the Raiders' losses were by single-digits.
- In their last game Wednesday, the Raiders had the first sell-out in program history in a 94-50 loss to top-ranked UCONN.
- Paige Kriftcher made seven of her eight three-point attempts and scored 21 points versus Connecticut.
- The 5-9 junior guard leads the team averaging 14.1 points and 2.3 made three-pointers per game.
- Josie Stockill (6-3, JR, F) needs six blocks for the program's career block record. She is third in the nation averaging 4 blocks per game. She is adding 13.4 points and 6.3 rebounds. She is second in the Patriot League making 50 percent from the field.
- As a team, Colgate is ninth in the country averaging 6.1 blocks per game. The Raiders have 43 this season.
- Randyll Butler (5-8, JR, G) leads the Patriot League, and is 55th in the nation) at 5 assists per outing.
- Butler leads the team with 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. She has six double-doubles in her career.
SERIES HISTORY
- The programs will meet for the third time Sunday. Gonzaga has won both of the first two meetings.
- This will be the first-ever meeting in Hamilton. The Zags won the first meeting, 67-56, in the Spokane Arena in 2001.
- Gonzaga won last the last meeting in 2013, 81-31, in Spokane. The 31 points are the second fewest ever allowed by GU.
- Five current Zags played in the 2013 game, led by Kudron's nine points. Cheslek and Tinkle combined for nine rebounds.
IT'S LIKE DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN
- The Bulldogs are 7-4 after loading up their non-conference schedule with tough competition again.
- Gonzaga was 7-4 after 11 games last season.
- It then won 16 straight games, the fifth-longest win streak in program history.
- The Zags also won their 11th straight West Coast Conference regular season title with a 16-2 league record.
- GU ended its season with a run to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament and was ranked No. 19 in the AP poll.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
- Shelby Cheslek recorded her 12th career double-double at Washington State (15 pts, 14 rbs).
- The senior has three double-doubles this season after having four in 2014-15.
- She has scored double-digits and grabbed nine rebounds in two games this season.
- Her first career double-double was an 11-point and 11-rebound performance at LMU on Feb. 9, 2013.
- Teammate Kiara Kudron also has two double-doubles this season.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
- Gonzaga currently leads the West Coast Conference with a 54.1 scoring defense (24th in the nation), and blocks per game at 5.1 (53rd in the nation).
- The Bulldogs are first in the WCC in three-point field goal percentage defense at 25.6 (34th in the country), and second in the field goal percentage defense at 35.9 (64th in the country).
IT'S A BLOCK PARTY
- Last season's GU team broke the program record with 184 blocks in a season.
- This season's team has 56 through the first 11 games, including 11 blocks in the win over West Virginia, which is fourth on the program's all-time single game list. It was also the most since the record was broken with 16 against Saint Mary's in 2010.
- Shelby Cheslek is on pace to contend with the single season program record of 77 set by Stephanie Hawk in 2006-07.
CHASING MILESTONES
- Cheslek is second in program history with 174 blocks, two away from tying the record.
- The senior moved into the West Coast Conference's all-time top-10 in 10th currently.
- She is also sixth in GU history with 746 rebounds.
FREQUENT FLYER MILES
- After the 2,705-mile trip to New England, the Bulldogs travel to Dayton, Ohio, and Hamilton, N.Y., this week.
- Dayton is 2,055 miles away from Gonzaga, and Dayton to Colgate is then a 581-mile trip.
- The Zags will then make the 2,509-mile trip back to Spokane.
- Gonzaga's longest conference road trip is 1,301 miles to San Diego.
Players Mentioned
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